The present invention relates to a storage holder for a compact disc, and to a storage case containing such storage holder.
Compact discs are well known and are used as data recordal media for sound, drama and a wide variety of computer software.
Conventionally, such compact discs are stored in storage cases known as xe2x80x9cjewel casesxe2x80x9d which can accommodate one or more compact discs. The compact disc is secured within the storage case by a storage holder that restrains the compact disc thereby preventing damage or premature release from the storage case. The storage holder may be an integral part of the storage case or may be separable from the storage case.
Known storage holders are exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,926 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,068. The storage holder described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,926 comprises a central retaining element that passes through the clearance, i.e. hole, of a compact disc. The central retaining element contains spring catches that act as locking elements and which overlap the inner edge formed by the clearance. Additionally, the central retaining element contains substantially rectilinear lifting elements that are activated by an activation means that also releases the locking elements.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,068 the storage holder comprises inwardly extending arms the inner ends of which form a disc-engaging member that is received by the hole of a compact disc. The compact disc is retained by lips that engage its outwardly facing surface. During release, the center of the compact disc is depressed, in other words flexed, by at least one of the lips.
The known storage holders as previously described address the problem of releasing the compact disc from the storage holder. However, in both instances the action of releasing the compact disc requires flexing of the compact disc, at least at its center. This flexing of the compact disc is undesirable and repeated flexing can lead to physical damage of the compact disc.
Additionally, known storage holders comprise various mechanism for positively releasing the compact disc from the storage holder. These mechanisms are often integral to the storage holder and/or storage case. As can be appreciated increasing the complexity of the storage holder and/or storage case also increases the difficulty of manufacture. Most such holders and cases are injection molded from some form of plastics material. Increasing the complexity therefore requires an increasingly complex mold, longer cycle times to ensure that the mold is correctly filled, increased reject rate and overall expense.
A first objective of the present invention is to provide a new storage holder that does not flex a compact disc during release of the compact disc from the storage holder.
A second objective is to provide a new storage holder as previously described having a relatively simple design thereby avoiding the necessity of using complex molds.
Accordingly the present invention provides a storage holder for a compact disc having a central hole, an upper surface and a lower surface, said storage holder comprising
(a) abase portion;
(b) at least two inwardly extending radial arms connected to the base portion by a center disc supporting ring, each of said inwardly extending radial arms having a retaining rib for engaging the upper surface of the compact disc;
(c) a center button formed by the inner ends of the arms and which center button is receivable in the central hole of the compact disc;
and wherein release of the compact disc by depression of the center button and actuation of the retaining ribs and arms does not result in any flexing or lifting of the compact disc.
In a first preferred embodiment, during actuation of the retaining ribs, said retaining ribs move from engagement with the upper surface of the compact disc and remain at a distance from the upper surface of the compact disc.
In a second preferred embodiment, the retaining ribs each have a surface profile such that during actuation of said retaining ribs, said retaining ribs are not engageable with the upper surface of the compact disc.
In a third preferred embodiment, during actuation of the retaining ribs, said retaining ribs remain at a distance from the lower surface of the compact disc and are not engageable with the lower surface.
In a fourth preferred embodiment, during release of the compact disc the center disc supporting ring and radial extending arms co-operate so as to prevent flexing of the compact disc.
In a fifth preferred embodiment, during depression of the center button each radial arm moves resiliently about a pivot point and each retaining rib has a surface profile such that engagement of the retaining rib and the upper surface of the compact disc is avoided during said movement. Further, preferred is when each retaining arm moves through an angle of depression to the horizontal of from 10 to 15 degrees before the compact disc is releasable from the storage holder.
In use the storage holder is part of a storage case. The storage holder may be integral to the storage case or may be separable from the storage case. Preferably, because of different materials of construction used in the storage holder and storage case, the storage holder and storage case are separable.